FX.co ★ US Building Permits Rise the Most in 5 Months

In February 2025, building permits in the United States experienced a decline of 1.2%, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.456 million, based on preliminary data. This figure marginally surpassed market forecasts, which had anticipated 1.450 million. This decline marks the most significant reduction in five months. Permits for single-family homes dipped by 0.2%, settling at an annualized rate of 992,000, while authorizations for buildings with five or more units decreased by 4.3% to 404,000. Regionally, the Northeast saw a notable decrease of 15.3% to 116,000, and permits in the West fell by 7.6% to 290,000. Conversely, the South witnessed an increase of 1% to 806,000 permits, and the Midwest experienced a more pronounced rise of 8.9% to 224,000 permits.